Right-to-Work in New Hampshire: Good for Workers and Unions

Right-to-Work in New Hampshire: Good for Workers and Unions

Jan 09, 2017

Anti-worker rights activists like to refer to Right-to-Work laws as “Right-to-Work (For Less),”in their attempt to scare union members and lawmakers. But Right-to-Work actually brings more – not less – to states that pass these laws: more jobs,more union members, more workplace freedom, and more unions providing value to members.

FAST FACTS

ENHANCED WORKER’S CHOICE: Workers can freely choose either a union to negotiate their wages, benefits and working conditions or do so themselves

UNIONS & MEMBERSHIP UNCHANGED:RTW doesn’t diminish a union’s ability to organize a workplace or a worker’s ability to become a union member and pay dues.

UNION LEADERS EMBRACE RIGHT-TO-WORK (3)

"I’ve never understood that people think right-to-work hurts unions...To me, it helps them. You don’t have to belong if you don’t want to...I can tell these workers, ‘If you don’t like this arrangement, you don’t have to belong.’ Versus, ‘If we get 50percent of you, then all of you have to belong, whether you like to or not.’” Gary Casteel, UAWSecretary-Treasurer

“I’ve always believed that if you do your job representing people, that people will be there to support you.” Dennis Williams, UAW President

RIGHT-TO-WORK HELPS, NOT HURTS, GOOD UNIONS

Stronger Unions from the Start - In 2015, unions in 25 right-to-work states increased members vs. non-right-to-work states. 6 of the 10 states with the biggest increases in union membership were right-to-work in 2015. (1)

Long-term Union Growth - Between 2005 and 2015, union membership grew in right-to-work states by about 1.3 percent, but fell around 9% in non-right-to-work states. (2)

RIGHT-TO-WORK AT WORK

67,000+ NEW JOBS IN KENTUCKY COUNTY AFTER PASSING RTW

Since 2014, thirteen Kentucky counties have moved to protect workers’ freedom. Right-to-work has had an almost immediate economic impact for these counties.4 Within the first year, $943 million worth of capital investment committed to locate in Warren County, which matched economic growth of the entire previous decade.5 Since passing right-to-work, Warren County has attracted more than $1 billion in total capital investment. Currently, there are 55,000 job openings within a 50-mile radius of Bowling Green, KY, with the prospect of another 12,000 job availabilities in the very near future.

Despite a lawsuit contesting Hardin County’s home-rule authority to pass a local right-to-work law, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the county’s local right to ordinance in November 2016. This ruling paves the way for states like New Hampshire to implement right-to-work laws without fear.